The audio clip of a private meeting between the late Ayatollah Hossein-Ali Montazeri, Khomeini’s closest aide and designated heir at the time, with various regime officials back in 1988 confirmed the previous revelations made by the Iranian opposition People’s Mojahedin Organization of Iran (PMOI/MeK) regarding the genocide and massacre of political prisoners carried out by Tehran back in the summer of that year.

This was a horrendous act of human rights violations and should lead to the opening of a dossier covering a grave crime against the Iranian people, and all of humanity.

More than 30,000 political prisoners, mainly PMOI/MeK members and supporters, were viciously killed and buried in mass graves, all in the span of a few months and under orders issued by Khomeini himself. However, why is the silence finally broken now after 28 years under such conditions? Without a doubt placing forward such evidence in any international court will find all senior current Iranian regime officials guilty.

This audio clip has been made public exactly one month after the massive Iranian opposition gathering in Paris, and shortly after a historic meeting between Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas and Iranian opposition leader Maryam Rajavi.

In all these events, in addition to the joint message voiced by European, American and especially Middle Eastern countries highlighting the necessity of overthrowing the regime in Iran, there is an emphasis on yet another united demand: Prosecuting Iranian regime officials for crimes against humanity, especially the summer 1988 massacre. The audio clip of Montazeri’s remarks unveils how many of the regime’s current officials, including supreme leader Ali Khamenei, former President Ali Akbar Rafsanjani and many current ministers in President Hassan Rouhani’s Cabinet, were deeply involved in this dreadful crime.

All the regime’s inner factions have suffered serious damages following the release of this audio clip, as it sheds light on how members of the Khamenei and Rouhani/Rafsanjani factions were all involved in this opprobrium.

In the audio clip Montazeri is heard speaking with four different individuals: Mostafa Pour Mohammadi, then representative of the Ministry of Intelligence; Hossein-Ali Nayeri, a so-called Shariah judge; Morteza Eshraghi, the regime’s then chief public prosecutor; and Ibrahim Reisi, Eshraghi’s deputy. These individuals were appointed by Khomeini as the administrative committee — later dubbed the “Death Committee” —in charge of implementing his dreadful fatwa to execute all political prisoners in Tehran. Pour Mohammadi, Nayeri and Reisi have during all the years of this regime’s existence held senior political, security and judiciary posts, and were directly involved in most of the regime’s crimes.

Reisi was involved as a public prosecutor and judge in the regime’s killings from day one. A few months ago, Khamenei appointed him as a senior official in the Astan Quds Razavi, a very important political/economic entity in the regime’s establishment.

Pour Mohammadi was interior minister of firebrand President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s Cabinet. He is currently serving as Rouhani’s justice minister.

Nayeri has throughout the years held senior positions in the regime’s judiciary and is currently head of the Supreme Security Court of Judges.

The audio clip reveals Montazeri’s conversations with the “Death Committee” members: “They resorted to all kinds of atrocities in city prisons… it was horrendous in Ahvaz (southwest Iran)… 50 years later they will portray (Khomeini) as bloodthirsty, murderous and vicious… keep in my mind we will not always be in power.”

In yet another shocking example, Montazeri said, “In Isfahan a pregnant woman was among those massacred… in Shiite Islam a woman must not be executed, even if she is a mohareb (enemy of God). I told this to Khomeini, and he said no, women must also be executed.”

Neither can regime officials distance themselves from this act of barbarity, nor can they accept responsibility in this regard. Legally, and from a perspective of international law the published tape is a strong case revealing how the 1988 massacre was a completely pre-planned initiative with a crystal clear objective of annihilating the Iranian democratic opposition PMOI/MeK with all its members and supporters.

By all definitions, this is considered a crime against humanity and a case of genocide. Neither a crime against humanity, nor genocide, will ever be forgotten with the passage of time. It is the duty of the international community, including the United Nations Human Rights Council and Security Council, to place this case before the law and have its perpetrators face justice.

Source: arabnews.com/node/974596/columns

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A Scorpion in Pakistani Politics

By Tariq A. Al-Maeena

Aug 24, 2016

There is a scorpion in Pakistani politics and a very cowardly one. He goes by the name of Altaf Hussain, the party chief of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) party who has safely ensconced himself for many years in the relative safety of the UK while his followers toil and suffer amidst the unrest that he has helped foster in the province of Sindh.

He is an egomaniac who has been working for his own self, amassing wealth well beyond his earning potential and continuing to undermine government efforts to bring stability to Karachi and other areas dominated by the MQM. It is a tragedy that Karachi, which once was visited by the rich and famous the world over, has been reduced to a war zone, torn apart by the antagonistic fervour exerted by Altaf Hussain and his leadership.

While he lives in comfort in London, he exhorts his followers to create mayhem by violent means. Recently, upset that some media outlets in Pakistan were not giving him and his party the coverage he demanded, he called upon party members to attack their offices and reduce them to rubble. Workers of the MQM protested violently in Karachi after being issued directives by the party chief to attack the offices of Geo, ARY and Samaa last Monday. At least one person was tragically killed and several others injured as protesters clashed with police in Karachi’s downtown area on Monday evening.

Pak Sarzameen Party (PSP) chairman Mustafa Kamal termed the attack a result of Altaf Hussain’s hate speech. According to the PSP chief, Altaf Hussain also uttered abuse against Pakistan’s existence, the army chief and DG Rangers in one of his hate speeches. “You will see the MQM chief apologizing soon and his followers telling you that he regrets his statements,” Kamal told reporters, adding that the MQM leader was most likely under the influence of alcohol when he went into his tirade against Pakistan. (In fact on Tuesday Aug. 23, Altaf did apologize and beg pardon for his remarks.)

Kamal, the former Karachi mayor, added: “Today’s incident proved what we have been saying all along. The MQM is working against humanity and future generations of the country.” He also implored MQM workers and other members of the Urdu-speaking community to “discontinue working for Altaf and foil his designs against the state”.

Calling the hunger strike organized by the MQM leadership a farce, he said that it did not include any prominent leaders of the party. “A drama was staged wherein a number of people, excluding prominent leaders, claimed to be on hunger strike.” The PSP chief once again repeated his assertion that “Altaf was working for India and taking funding from the country to collude and work against Pakistan.”

Following the attacks, the World Congress of Pakistanis (WCOP) based in London released a statement: “Altaf Hussain attacked Pakistan and British Pakistanis cannot tolerate it. British Pakistanis demand action against Altaf Hussain. He has destabilized Pakistan and action must be taken against him.”

A female member of the Sindh Assembly belonging to the MQM party announced her resignation following Altaf Hussain’s hateful speech that led to attacks on media offices in Karachi. In a statement released on Twitter, Irum Azeem Farooque the Assembly member said she was disturbed and embarrassed to watch the videos of MQM workers vandalizing ARY News offices and clashing with police. “Today I resign. Already did it two days ago but didn’t disclose because of the hunger strike. After watching the videos, I feel very embarrassed.” “I’m shocked and utterly disappointed. I condemn the attack on ARY offices. No one should take the law into their own hands,” she tweeted. Many Pakistanis who love their nation were shocked as well and share her disappointment.

The scorpion who lives in London and seems hell-bent on destroying the stability of Pakistan to suit his own macabre purposes must be stopped by any means. Pakistan must seek extradition procedures to bring him back to the country to stand for treason. MQM party members must stop believing that the rest of Pakistan is out to destroy them. This division has been created by scorpions such as Altaf Hussain to promote their own interests.

Can Pakistanis regardless of political affiliation unite once and for all and get rid of this poisonous menace in their midst?

Source: saudigazette.com.sa/opinion/scorpion-pakistani-politics/

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Turkey’s Nightmare Is Unfolding In Syria

By Joyce Karam

23 August 2016

With another ISIS suspected suicide bombing hitting Turkey last weekend, a growing influx of refugees of 2.7 million, and a more muscular Kurdish military front in Syria, it is safe to say that the Syrian war has become a real-time nightmare for Ankara with no real exit strategies.

When Turkey took a forceful position in the fall of 2011 against the Assad regime and in support of its opponents, the whole calculus was to avoid a long bleeding front on its border and help a more like-minded governing model to take shape in Damascus.

Today, these two goals have completely crumbled in the face of multiple border threats for Turkey and the fracturing of Syria between competing governing structures, militias, and terrorist organizations.

Syria’s emerging new threats are prompting a pivot in Turkey’s calculus, prioritizing – with the help of Russia and Iran – the immediate goals of moving against the Kurdish groups and countering ISIS, while shelving the Assad challenge at least until the Barack Obama administration leaves office.

Turkey’s New Priorities

While Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan was one of the first to call on Syrian President Bashar al-Assad to step down in November 2011, this goal no longer appears urgent nor realistic for Turkey. Turkish prime minister Binali Yildirim told reporters last Friday that Assad could have a role in the interim leadership or transition, but he must play no part in its future.

Neither a transition nor a change of leadership appear imminent in Syria which makes Turkey’s gesture on Assad more a case of political realism, and messaging to his allies. The more urgent priority that Yildrim pressed and that has been subject of ongoing diplomatic traffic between Turkey and Iran, and between Ankara and Moscow following Erdogan’s visit, is Syria’s unity, “territorial integrity” and "not to allow the country to be divided on any ethnic base."

Syria’s emerging new threats are prompting a pivot in Turkey’s calculus, prioritizing – with the help of Russia and Iran – the immediate goals of moving against the Kurdish groups and countering ISIS, while shelving the Assad challenge at least until the Obama administration leaves office

Countering the Kurdish push for more autonomy in Syria has taken over Turkey’s calculus in the war, and is the driving force behind Erdogan’s new overtures to both Iran and Russia.

Assad for his part has flirted back with Turkey attacking PYD forces in Hasaka, with his army branding the group as Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), designated terrorist by Turkey. Attacking the YPG and labeling the PYD and PKK is music to Erdogan’s ears who could ironically find common ground with Assad whom he called two months ago “a more advanced terrorist” than ISIS.

Post-Manbij

The same Kurdish forces that Assad is attacking, have made with the help of the US progress against ISIS, in places like Kobani and more recently Manbij and as part of a bigger coalition called Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF).

Turkey according to Syrian opposition sources has requested from Washington that SDF leaves Manbij after the liberation and to avoid ethnic changes in the town from Arab to Kurdish. The same sources add that the failure to achieve this has angered Ankara who could exercise a stronger military hand in the North both against ISIS and YPG.

Turkey also appears to be responding by supporting a different coalition in fighting ISIS. Syrian rebels allied with Turkey are readying an attack on the town of Jarablus now under control of ISIS. Rebel sources also say Turkey’s help has been "crucial" in the Aleppo offensive against the Assad regime. This indicates that Ankara is walking on multiple ropes in Syria with three goals in mind, supporting its proxies, countering the Kurdish expansion, and fighting ISIS.

Impact on US Policy

The Turkish readjustment in Syria will be mostly felt on the US strategy relying on these same Kurdish forces that Turkey wants to counter in the fight against ISIS.

Ankara’s patience appears to have completely run out with the Obama administration ahead of a visit by Vice President Joe Biden this Wednesday. Evidently, Turkey’s repositioning towards Iran and Russia against a more robust Kurdish force will complicate Obama’s plans to encircle ISIS in Syria and liberate Mosul, Raqqa or both before he leaves office. Assad’s bombing of YPG in Hassaka also impedes these plans.

Finding a new arrangement in the fallout of Manbij is critical for both Washington and Ankara to derail ISIS in Syria. Yildrim pointing out that Turkey’s role will be more active in next six months is a signal to the US administration that Ankara will move to protect its interest in Syria until Obama leaves office.

For now, Syria is completely a new war for Turkey with different set of priorities and challenges than those that were in place at the outset of the conflict. Ousting Assad or establishing a more friendly government is no longer a realistic priority for Turkey as it readjusts with different actors for a longer and messier conflict across its border.

The other day it was announced that the US vice president Joe Biden would soon be visiting Turkey. The visit will follow frantic Turkish activities in the aftermath of the failed coup attempt.

Several issues, I presume, deserve to be scheduled for discussion between Mr Biden and Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, more so because Washington’s Middle East policies during the last few years have managed to change many of Ankara’s declared positions.

Regardless of definition, explanations, appraisals – especially as far as the alleged ‘role’ of Islamist figure Fethullah Gulen is concerned – the coup attempt will no doubt affect the march of Mr Erdogan’s Islamist government. Equally, it would be wrong to underestimate the impact of terrorist attacks that shook a number of Turkish cities during the last few months against the background of the worsening Syrian crisis, revitalized Kurdish secessionists and cooling of tensions with Israel. However, the most significant realities imposed on Ankara by Barack Obama’s Middle East policies remain those related to Russia and Iran.

Going back to JCPOA is not actually a replay. In fact, it is the first true step to understanding Washington’s current strategy until its term ends next November. Yes, JCPOA is the defining landmark in Obama’s political thought and strategic regional priorities; and the last three years that – candidly expressed – thought and those priorities were there for all to see.

Washington has allowed Tehran and Syria’s Bashar al-Assad to blackmail both the international community and the Syrian people with a morally and politically unacceptable choice between keeping the al-Assad regime which is nothing but a cat’s paw of Iran’s mullahs and their expansionist regional project, or leaving Syria and its people easy prey to ISIS bestial criminality and al-Qaeda’s extremism.

Due to Russia being under the leadership of Vladimir Putin, it has become a dynamic and ambitious player keen to regain the long gone regional influence of the former USSR

The above choice is exactly what al-Assad and Tehran wanted and strived for all along, and the outcome has been clear from the pictures from the town of Manbij, recently liberated from its ISIS nightmare. It is also the ideal script that would ‘wipe clean the slate’ of a criminal regime which since the late 1970s made a business of blackmail, murder, political outbidding, and trading in fake slogans.

Finally, it is what Obama’s Washington has adopted through demeaning and undermining the nationalist Syrian moderate opposition by depriving it of suitable quality weapons, and continuously rejecting its pleas for protective no-fly zones and safe havens under feeble excuses, as is proven every day by direct American military involvement in Iraq and Libya, and Washington’s active support of Kurdish militias.

Turning a blind eye to ISIS’ entrenchment and expansion has not been only intentional, but also required. This is why al-Raqqah was never bombarded, not even threatened, a full year after it fell to the brutal terrorist group and was proclaimed its capital. The same applies to other ISIS “enclaves” elsewhere in Greater Damascus and the open expanses of the Syrian Desert – which are supposedly vulnerable to air strikes – let alone, those close to the Israeli ceasefire line in the Golan Heights!

Turkey’s Mistakes

In the meantime, the Turkish leadership was committing two grave mistakes: The first, continuously over-threatening al-Assad and over-promising the Syrian oppositions without guarantees that it can effect a change; and the second, its ambiguous position vis-à-vis Tehran although it should have known the nature and extent of Iranian support for al-Assad, specifically, since IRGC-led and controlled Lebanese, Iraqi and Afghan Shi’ite militias were ‘ordered’ to fight inside Syria.

One might say these mistakes stemmed from wrong calculations based on naïve trust in Washington’s and NATO’s backing; and consequently, disregard of what Washington’s willingness to let down its old ally means, while keeping in mind Turkey’s geo-political problematic history with Russia.

Most likely, Ankara began to really worry when it noticed that Washington’s and Moscow’s views on Syria were rapidly converging to the point of total agreement. This went parallel with the unfolding Russian support for Al-Assad reaching the point of direct military involvement in September 2015.

The turning point, however, must have been Turkey’s downing the Russian fighter bomber near the Turkish – Syrian borders in late November 2015; as Washington’s and NATO’s lukewarm ‘solidarity’ with Ankara against Moscow’s bullying threats decisively proved that the page of the Cold War alliance between Turkey and the West was turned forever.

To add insult to injury, American whole-hearted backing for ‘nationalist’ Kurdish militias along the Turkish – Syrian borders despite Ankara’s expressed misgivings, and later Washington’s rush to directly confront ISIS in northern Iraq the moment it began threatening the autonomous ‘Iraqi Kurdistan’ region, only compounded Ankara’s suspicions and worries. Then, no sooner that the attempted coup had taken place than Erdogan accused US – based Mr. Gulen of being implicated, while also insinuating at an American role in it.

Obviously, this meant that all taboos have now been broken, as the Turkish leadership saw itself dealing with new regional and international realities. Erdogan decided to react in the light of what he viewed as Washington’s “betrayal” in the time of need, the Obama administration belittling what a threat “Greater Kurdistan” poses to Turkey and the polities of the Middle East. As a result Ankara took the decision to ‘open up’ to the three influential players in the region: Russia, Israel and Iran.

Ambitious Player

Due to Russia being under the leadership of Vladimir Putin, it has become a dynamic and ambitious player keen to regain the long gone regional influence of the former USSR; in addition to the fact that it is the historical ‘Christian’ competitor to ‘Muslim’ Turkey in south eastern Europe, the Caucasus and Central Asia.

As for Israel, it is a small-size major power which enjoys great influence in the West, especially, with the American ‘political establishment’.

Finally, Iran is the historical Eastern pole, whose entities and ruling dynasties coexisted and collaborated with, fought against, and allied to Turkey’s entities and ruling dynasties. In fact, the percentage of Turkic peoples with present day Iran exceeds non-Turks within Turkey.

However, although the two countries are currently competing against each other, and are in opposite sides in the Syrian crisis, they are united by a common concern. They both stand against a “Greater Kurdistan”; which may mean the Kurdish issue provides the window of opportunity for interest-based temporary coexistence and agreement of opportune regional influence sharing at the expense of the major absentee, i.e. the Arabs!

SOCIAL media activists have circulated a new government decision that prevents mingling of unrelated men and women in the health sector. The Health Ministry has sent a circular to hospitals, health centers and clinics, instructing separation of male and female employees and patients.

It is worth mentioning that the Saudi society considers mingling of men and women totally prohibited although we don’t see the word mingling of sexes in the history and terminologies of the puritan followers of the Prophet, peace be upon him, and those who came just after them. We understand from Islamic history that the mingling of sexes was not seen in ordinary life of people during the time of Prophet and his followers.

I have understood the ministry’s decision differently. It emphasizes the need to organize work places where mixing of sexes is likely to occur. The decision also stresses the need to incriminate harassment against women and enact laws that would protect her honour. Citizens have witnessed violations in mixed working environment of the health sector.

Being a citizen who has spent a long period of time in the health sector let me explain my experience in this field. I still remember that a big hue and cry occurred at the Medical College of King Saud University in Riyadh several years ago when two consultants demanded from the mufti to prevent entry of male students to the delivery room and female students from specializing in male urology. If that proposal had been implemented the college would have lost its international recognition.

After the issuance of fatwa or religious ruling, the university hospital witnessed scenes of chaos and confusion as supporters and opponents clashed. Opponents said separating men and women at hospitals was impossible due to lack of enough medical staff in both sexes. Same is the case of nursing, a profession dominated by women. It is impossible to appoint only male nurses at men’s section of the hospital. If men join this profession in large numbers who will work for factories, army, and security agencies and markets that are mainly run by young men.

We should not generalize individual cases while making a judgment on this vital service sector where staff members generally uphold moral values. Hospital managements punish those who violate the honour of others including men and women. The honour of a patient is considered a red line, not only in Muslim countries but all over the world. I hope authorities conduct a detailed study on harassment against women to impose deterrent punishment on violators.

This is a big challenge for the Health Ministry and the minister of health always wanted to see a clear picture of the situation, which demands a strategic plan in order to distribute executive powers among health departments in the Kingdom’s regions. Every one of us knows that the call to abide by the teachings of Islam has reduced popular pressures to improve services.

In order to understand the decision’s dynamic impact, it should be applied on private hospitals. Then the picture would be complete. The cost of that decision would be much higher then what we can imagine. Many hospitals would be closed if the separation were made mandatory.

We should also think of applying the decision on markets where harassment of women is rampant. But it would not be easy to apply in markets.

Developed countries have imposed strict laws to prevent harassment after knowing it was impossible to apply the separation law in markets.

Supporters of separation are likely to be active at hospitals and this could trigger another conflict between them and the opponents, like the one that occurred at King Saud University. God may back hospital managers, as they would be exposed to greater pressure from supporters of the decision.

This may lead to a tumultuous dialogue in the corridors of hospitals and the role of the Commission for Promotion of Virtue and Prevention of Vice (Haia) in executing the decision. The implementation of the decision could be postponed until the realization of complete separation of sexes in our daily life in all sectors but it would be impossible even if we spend our whole GDP.

During a dinner, New York Times (NYT) editor-in-chief Jake Silverstein met with writer Scott Anderson. They agreed to work on a feature on the threats facing the Middle East post-Arab Spring. Work on the story – described as an epic as it is longer than 40,000 words – lasted 18 months.

It is a really interesting piece, particularly in terms of the investigative journalism involved. An Arabic translation of the article, entitled “Fractured lands: How the Arab world came apart,” was published in Ash-Sharq al-Awsat. It addressed economic factors as it looked into the prospects of disintegration in the Arab world, and how states have been crushed and institutions weakened.

The piece noted: “The scattershot nature of the Arab Spring makes it hard to provide a single answer. Some nations were radically transformed, even as others right next door were barely touched. Some of the nations in crisis were relatively wealthy (Libya), others crushingly poor (Yemen). Some countries with comparatively benign dictatorships (Tunisia) blew up along with some of the region’s most brutal (Syria).

“The same range of political and economic disparity is seen in the nations that remained stable. Yet one pattern does emerge, and it is striking. While most of the 22 nations that make up the Arab world have been buffeted to some degree by the Arab Spring, the six most profoundly affected - Egypt, Iraq, Libya, Syria, Tunisia and Yemen - are all republics, rather than monarchies."

The Arab Spring exposed many social and cultural defects, awakening tribal affiliations as sectarianism fed off raging protests. This can clearly be seen in Syria

Social and Cultural Defects

There are major factors that are relevant to the prospects of disintegration and division in some Arab Spring countries. The Arab Spring exposed many social and cultural defects, awakening tribal affiliations as sectarianism fed off raging protests. This can clearly be seen in Syria, as the revolution shifted from a desire to achieve change to a struggle between Alawites and Shiites on one hand, and Sunnis who oppose the regime on the other.

This negative awakening makes countries such as Libya, Yemen and Syria an easy target for disintegration and collapse. This in addition to economic disparity in each country. We can complete Anderson’s note about monarchies by saying they are more able to adapt to global changes. The Arab Spring renewed their legitimacy as their citizens renewed their allegiance to them. In return, the states took developmental measures and devised programs and plans.

Since the days of Egypt’s late President Gamal Abdel Nasser and the era of Arab nationalism, some Arab republics have idolized some leaders provocatively, and outrageously idolized certain events, coups and revolutions. Meanwhile, people suffered from economic bankruptcy and institutional collapse. This made societies completely separate from politics. As time passes and idolization decreases, a desire for revenge and accountability surfaces

Even if people remain under the governance of a dictator for more than half a century, like in Libya, Syria and particularly Yemen, they will still find a way to avenge themselves. However, monarchies are distinguished for their rare wisdom, authentic awareness of societies’ needs, and being close to the people. This has created a social system that is radically different than those in Arab republics that adopted certain ideologies.

Therefore, the possibility of disintegration, as discussed in the NYT piece, will continue to exist because the situation on the ground is not stable yet, and these disturbed countries will not move toward peace anytime soon.

Although some crises are very bloody, they are still in their beginning stages, and we have only seen the tip of the iceberg. Unfortunately, the possibilities range from disintegration to division and ongoing civil war. Perhaps the best-case scenario will be ‘stable chaos’ within fragile economic entities.

This week the world was in tears over the young Syrian boy, Omran Daqneesh, who illustrated the detrimental effects of the Syrian civil war. He became a symbol of the suffering that has become far too familiar within those regions; but the question begs to be asked, how many more Omran Daqneesh’s are there?

Over the past 5 years, the Syrian civil war has accounted for over 450,000 deaths. 50,000 of these have been reported as children, meaning over 10% of victims from a war directed by adults have, in fact, been children. Aside from this, the children left to deal with the aftermath of bombs also need to be considered. With family members dead, homes destroyed and food resources depleting, there are over 75,000 children left in Eastern Aleppo that are struggling to live from one day to another. Schools and hospitals are declared too unsafe to visit, prices of basic food necessities are sky rocketing to the point where a Kilo of sugar costs £15 and, with over 80% of the population in Aleppo living without water, it is key to remember that these children are no longer living, but surviving.

What is key to remember is that Aleppo is not the only fighting ground in Syria. This is a countrywide civil war with four main protagonists; the Syrian Arab Army, the Free Syrian Army, Syrian Democratic Forces & Deash. With all groups supported by various other countries, ranging from Iran to the UK, another layer of complexity is added to the geopolitical relationship in the Middle East. So complex are these relationships that the diagram below is the clearest illustration of the ongoing situation.

Therefore, it can be easily assumed, that the war is leading to damaged, PTSD-prone children all around the country. While these armies push for more territory to eventually end what has been a tediously painful civil war, the reality will settle in and these leaders will have to ask themselves the question “was it worth it?”

With a nation of children scarred by death and destruction, what hope can there be for a productive and prosperous Syrian nation? The children, who could leave, have left, and the children who can’t leave are uneducated and resentful. The future is built by the children of today, but what happens to the future when you neglect the present? How do you stop a generation filled with Omran’s from becoming what you originally fought against?

However the future plays out, Omran Daqneesh was not the first and he certainly will not be the last.

“I love children. They are content with the least of things, gold and mud are the same in their eyes.” – Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him and his family)

“We have SPADE as our symbol…Spade is another sign of humility and our carrying it on our shoulders shows that we are out to proclaim to the world THE DIGNITY OF LABOUR. Spade levels up the ground. We are here TO LEVEL UP ALL SOCIETY! A rich man with a spade considers that he has come down a bit to meet his poor brother. A poor man with a spade thinks that he has got a powerful weapon to strengthen him. Spade in this movement has worked wonders indeed! [Translated from Urdu]”

– Allama Mashriqi, All Faiths Conference, 1938

Allama Mashriqi was born on August 25, 1888. Mashriqi was a revolutionary, reformer, and humanitarian, who founded the Khaksar Tehrik (Movement) to bring freedom to the Indian subcontinent (now comprised of Bangladesh, India, and Pakistan). When Mashriqi became sick near the end of his life, President Ayub Khan visited him in the hospital and offered him medical treatment in Switzerland at the Government’s expense (Mashriqi did not accept the offer, as it was against his principles to use public funds for personal treatment). Mashriqi died in Mayo hospital in Lahore on August 27, 1963. His funeral procession was approximately 1.6 kilometers long and included over 100,000 people, one of the largest funeral processions in South Asian history. This article is written in honour of his 53rd death anniversary and focuses on his choice of a Belcha as the iconic symbol for his Khaksar Tehrik.

Mashriqi chose the Belcha (a spade or shovel) as the symbol of the Khaksar Tehrik. This tool became such an integral part of the Khaksar Tehrik’s image in British India (now Bangladesh, India, and Pakistan), that the movement was often referred to as the Spade Movement or Army of Spades. Why did a man of Mashriqi’s stature choose such an unconventional tool to represent his party? As it turns out, Mashriqi’s choice of a spade was well thought out and highly symbolic.

For Mashriqi, the Belcha was the perfect symbol for his party for multiple reasons, as expressed in his book Isha’arat and a piece published in Al-Islah (on July 26, 1935) entitled Qual-e-Faisal (No. 11). First, the Belcha was a labourer’s tool and had been used for centuries around the world. The selection of a working man’s tool as the Tehrik’s symbol not only reflected Mashriqi’s belief in the importance of the labour class, but also his sense of humility and simplicity.

By requiring all Khaksars to carry the Belcha as part of their uniform, Mashriqi hoped to impart these values in the Khaksars and unite them. Mashriqi believed that when all members of the movement stood together with a Belcha in hand – whether rich or poor or Christian, Hindu, Muslim, Jewish or Sikh – the differences between them would be shattered and they would grow stronger as one people and one nation. The Belcha also had a special religious significance for Muslims. The Prophet Mohammad (PBUH) had used the tool in trying situations (for example, the Battle of Trench). Taking inspiration from the Prophet, Mashriqi used the Belcha as a symbol for awakening the nation from its slumber to rise up against British rule.

Along with its religious and philosophical symbolism, the Belcha also represented the construction of the country’s infrastructure, thereby uplifting the nation. The Belcha further signified the challenging nature of this monumental task and the hard work that would be required to bring freedom to the subcontinent. The Belcha appealed to the masses; it was a powerful visual reminder that this was a movement for everyone, not just the so-called “elite.”

Finally, the Belcha served a very practical purpose for the Khaksars. As soldiers in a private army, the Belcha was the ultimate multi-function tool for the Khaksars. It could be used for defence, digging a trench, as a container to drink water, a pot to cook on, a plate to eat on, a walking stick, etc. And unlike guns or other weapons wielded by a traditional army, the Belcha could not be banned, yet it could still be used to teach soldiers basic principles around discipline and defence.

Thus, the Belcha was a most befitting selection for Mashriqi and his Khaksar Tehrik. It was the perfect reflection of the movement’s commitment to humility, service, simplicity, unity, and uplift of the masses. Indeed, it was the ideal symbol for an organization that ultimately mobilized millions to bring freedom to India. In Mashriqi’s words, “Spade in this movement has worked wonders indeed!”

May God Rest Mashriqi’s Soul in Eternal Peace

Special Note: Some writers have falsely claimed (for vested reasons) that Mashriqi adopted the Belcha as his party’s symbol because he was influenced by Adolf Hitler and his Labour Corps (Reichsarbeitsdienst). Nothing could be further from the truth.

Mashriqi saw the importance of the Belcha even while he was a student in England at Cambridge University (1907-1912) and had the symbol in mind for his Tehrik in the 1920s (he wrote about this in Isharat, see Chapters 16 and 17). Hitler did not start his Labour Corps until 1934. More importantly, Mashriqi and Hitler’s philosophies were polar opposites. Mashriqi, a humanitarian, believed in the unity of the human race, regardless of religion, class, colour or creed (anyone - whether Muslim, Hindu, Jewish, Sikh, Christian or any other faith - could join Mashriqi’s Khaksar Tehrik).

There are also many examples of the Khaksars providing assistance to both Muslims and non-Muslims, including the Khaksars saving lives during the Bengal Famine of 1943 and the Muslim-Hindu-Sikh riots (at the time of partition). And while the Khaksars used military-style activities as a last resort to liberate the country from foreign rule, they never believed in the destruction or massacre of people.

Nasim Yousaf, an author and historian, has written 15 books and digitized several files of rare documents related to the Indian sub-continent’s history. He has been featured in various American publications (including Marquis’ Who's Who in the World) and his books are available in top research and academic libraries around the world.

MaqÉÎid strike a close note with the rationale, ratio legis, and effective causes (‘ilal) of the Ahkam. Ibn Qayyim al-Jawziyyah who has explored this subject in considerable detail has noted that the number of such references in the Qur’an alone reaches, not just one or two hundred instances as others had earlier estimated, but that in over one thousand places the Qur’an either directly or indirectly and in diverse manners of expression and language identifies the rationale, purpose, benefits and consequences of its rulings. All of these are then used as indicators toward the identification of maqÉÎid.30

Other names that stand out, next to al-ShÉÏibÊ and ÙÉhir ibn ‘AshËr, in the development of maqÉÎid are those of Imam al-Haramayn al-Juwayni (d. 1058CE), and his disciple al-Ghazali. Al-Juwayni was the first to classify the maqÉÎid into the three classes of essential, complimentary, and embellishments (ÌarËriyyÉt, ÍÉjiyyÉt and taÍsÊniyÉt respectively), a classification which has gained general acceptance ever since. Abu Hamid al-Ghazali (d.1111CE) was the first to classify the ÌarËriyyÉt into the five headings of faith, life, intellect, lineage and property.31 Taqi al-Din Ibn Taymiyyah (d.1328) was probably the first to depart from the notion of confining the maqÉÎid to a specific number and added to the existing list of five maqÉÎid such other themes as fulfilment of contracts and trusts, honouring the rights of one’s parents and neighbours, and moral purity etc., themes which he said also featured prominently in the Qur’an and Sunnah. In his renowned MaqÉÎid al- Shar’iah al-Islamiyyah, Ibn ‘Ashur provided a definition, as already noted, for the maqÉÎid and added further to its existing classifications.32 In line with Ibn Taymiyyah’s views, Yusuf al-Qaradawi (b.1926/1345) has further extended the scope of maqÉÎid to include social welfare support (al-takÉful al-ijtimÉ’i), human dignity and freedom, whereas the present writer has also added economic development, R & D in technology and science, as well as peaceful co-existence among nations to the maqÉÎid as they too are crucially important and can find support in the Qur’an and Sunnah.33

It hardly needs elaboration to say that politics and constitution in the Arab world bore the imprints of Western colonial legacy as well as the legacy of historical neglect of the Islamic past, due to the prevalence of despotism, and neglect of Islam’s guidelines on consultation, justice and MaÎlaÍah. This was strongly resonated in the Islamic revivalist movement of the latter part of twentieth century and the call hence that law and politics in the Muslim world must reconnect with Islam’s own normative guidelines and heritage- and the Islamic state ideas. The effort now to develop politics from the viewpoint of Islamic norms, or siyÉsah in light of the maqÉÎid, is in many ways original and still in its early stages of development.

There is little merit in the view some commentators have advanced over the need for a separate discipline in the name of political Maqlad (‘Ilm maq ÉÎid siyÉsÊ). The proponents of this view have held that the existing knowledge of maqÉÎid and its five main varieties that were identified so long ago no longer corresponded to the exigencies of contemporary politics. That the maqÉÎid theory developed by al-Shatibi and others is legalistic and not comprehensive enough to encapsulate the wider ranges of objectives that find support in - the revealed sources. This is a rash conclusion perhaps, as the classification of maqÉÎid into various types as well as contributions by Ibn Taymiyyah, al-Qaradawi and others go a long way to accommodate such a suggestion. Besides, the idea to segmentise the maq ÉÎid in the name of separate disciplines would stand at odds with the unitarian spirit of the maqÉÎid, and may extend the claim to other areas – and not perhaps advisable.34 There should be no objection, on the other hand, to the elaboration of maqÉÎid with reference to particular subject areas such as crimes and penalties, muÑÉmalat and contracts and so forth.

Certain new developments, such as Islamic banking and finance that emerged in the latter part of twentieth century and grew at an exponential pace, were market driven more than knowledge driven. A groundswell of criticism has developed as of late over the authenticity and Shari’ah compliancy of some of the IBF products. The critique has generally been that the industry has followed the Fiqh rules but not the purpose and spirit of those rules – hence a renewed focus on the maqÉÎid to provide the desired sense of direction and assurance over the credibility of IBF.

32Whereas the maqÉÎid were hitherto classified into the general maqÉÎid (al- maqÉÎid al-‘Émmah), and partial maqÉÎid (maqÉÎid juz’iyyah), Ibn ‘Ashur added the intervening category of specific objectives (maqÉÎid khÉÎÎah) and placed under this category the maqÉÎid pertaining to family, maqÉÎid in financial transactions, maqÉÎid also of adjudication and testimony, and Maqlid of punishments (maqÉÎid al-‘uqËbÉt).

When Malaysia’s incumbent Prime Minister, Najib Razak, announced in January 2015 the introduction in Malaysia of the maqÉÎid Shari’ah index of governance, it was giving the maqÉÎid a new profile as guide to government policy. This was yet another new projection of the maqÉÎid, from IBF to the wider arena of governance.35 This may well be marking a new phase in the development of the Islamic state idea, which has been around for some decades, but ran in different directions, and has yet to generate consensus, partly due to politicisation of Islam, radical fundamentalism and violence that ran parallel courses, and evolution of ideas on the theory and practice of Islamic state was met with disruptions.

MaqÉÎid have been classified into several types, depending on the viewpoint and purpose of classification. An overview of the classification of maqÉÎid into the following five categories will help advancing a better understanding of the subject:

a) From the viewpoint of their relative importance, the maqÉÎid have been classified into the three categories of essential maqÉÎid (Ìarūriyyāt), complementary maqÉÎid (ÍÉjiyyāt) and desirabilities (TaÍsÊniyyÉt) as already mentioned. Only the first of these have been specified into the five headings of the protection of religion, life, intellect, family and property. Briefly the ÌarËriyyÉt are essential to the survival and spiritual well-being of the individual and society, so much so that their destruction and collapse would precipitate chaos and demise of normal order in society. The ÍÉjiyyÉt are defined as maqÉÎid or maÎÉliÍ that seek to remove severity and hardship which are, however, not essential to normal life and order. TaÍsÊniyyÉt are in the nature of desirabilities that seek to attain refinement and perfection in customs and conduct of the people at all levels, and they often complement the previous two classes of maqÉÎid.36

b) From the viewpoint of their scope, maqÉÎid have been further classified into the three categories of general purposes (al- maqÉÎid al-‘Émmah), particular purposes (al- maqÉÎid al-khÉÎÎah), and partial purposes (al- maqÉÎid al-juz’iyyah).37

The general purposes are those that extend to the whole of Shariah in all its parts and they are altogether broad and comprehensive. Realisation of benefit (MaÎlaÍah), prevention of harm and corruption (Ìarar, Mafsadah), building the earth (i’mÉr al-arÌ), administration of justice, and removal of hardship (raf’ al-Íaraj) are examples of the general purposes of Shari’ah. They differ from particular purposes in that the latter contemplate specific areas and subjects of the Shari’ah, such as commercial transactions, crimes and punishments, matrimonial law, worship matters, acts of charity and so forth. The two are not totally separate in that the particular maqÉÎid should observe and comply with the broader objectives of Shari’ah and should not go against the general maqÉÎid.38 purposes. However the last category is almost identical with ‘general purposes’- hence we combine the two classifications into one that consist of three varieties.

Partial purposes may be defined as those which signify the Lawgiver’s intention and purpose regarding particular rulings of Shari’ah in any area or topic. This is similar to what is known as the effective cause (‘illah, Íikmah ) of a ruling, which the jurist needs to identify in the construction, for example, of analogy (qiyÉs).39 One of the reasons why the uÎËl al-fiqh jurists have not expatiated on the maqÉÎid is that in their view ‘illah is about the same as the Maqlad of a ruling.40 That said, it is submitted that the ‘illah of a ruling may or may not be the same as its purpose. For the ‘illah of a ruling tends to be grounded in the status quo or existing order, whereas its end-goal and purpose may also be looking to the future and beyond status quo.

c) MaqÉÎid have also been classified into the Lawgiver’s purposes (maqÉÎid al-shÉriÑ) and the human purposes (maqÉÎid al-Mukallaf). To say that human welfare and benefit, or knowledge of religion, are God’s illustrious purposes in ordaining the laws of Shari’ah illustrate the former, whereas seeking employment, or university qualifications may represent the human purpose of seeking knowledge. It is generally recommended that all competent persons should bring, as far as possible, their own purposes into conformity with the maqÉÎid of the Lawgiver.41

d) Another classification of maqÉÎid is its division into primary purposes (al-maqÉÎid al- aÎliyyah) which the Lawgiver, or a human agent, have originally intended, whereas subsidiary purposes (al-maqÉÎid al-tabÑiyyah or far’iyyah) are those which support and complement the primary maqÉÎid. For instance, the primary Shari’ah purpose of marriage is procreation of the human species, which may or may not materialise in a marriage among elderly persons contracted with the purpose mainly of companionship - which is a secondary purpose.42

e) Lastly, the maqÉÎid may be either definitive (qaÏÑÊ) or speculative (ÐannÊ). The former signify purposes which are based in a clear text of the Qur’ān, Hadith, or general consensus (ijmÉÑ), and even induction (istiqrÉ’) according to al-Shatibi and Ibn ‘Ashur, whereas the latter may be based on a speculative text, rationality and ijtihad.43 In the event of a conflict between them, the definitive purposes of Shari’ah take priority over the speculative ones.

SiyÉsah and maqÉÎid may both be described as dynamic and flexible against the background of a rich heritage of the juristic thought of uÎËl al-Fiqh that was, however, textualist in orientation and also bore the influences of syllogism and intricacies of Greek logic. The maqÉÎid discourse is goal-oriented that can bring efficiency to decision making on contemporary issues, beyond the technicalities of the uÎËl al-fiqh doctrines. Valuable as these are, they are exceedingly elaborate and burdened at times minutiae at the expense some times of the broader sense of purpose the Shari’ah is meant to convey.

The precedent of Companions and leading imams is associated with flexibility and dynamism often exhibited in their responses to issues, fatwa and Ijtihad. The onset of indiscriminate imitation (taqlÊd) after the crystallisation of MadhÉhib, however, brought restrictions that constrained the free spirit of enquiry and interpretation. Then also the rift between the

ÑulamÉ’ and political leaders (umarÉ’) that began with the Umayyad ruler Mu’awiyah persisted such that politics and jurisprudence parted company and followed different courses, one dominated by the ÑulamÉ’ and the other by the umarÉ’, with little understanding and interaction between them. The ÑulamÉ’ were isolated from politics and they in turn hardly assigned a role to the umarÉ’ in their formulations of Ijtihad, ijmÉ’, and uÎËl al-fiqh doctrines. The rift continued and the question such as we now pose on how siyÉsah can be guided by the guidelines of maqÉÎid was basically not entertained.

- See more at: http://newageislam.com/islamic-ideology/mohammad-hashim-kamali/public-policy-in-islam--exploring-synergies-between-siy%C3%A9sah-shar%C3%B1iyyah-and-maq%C3%A9%C3%AEid-al-shari%E2%80%99ah-(part-2)/d/108349#sthash.AbCS0pAR.dpuf

Q: You say Muslims are dais and others are their madus. Some people might consider this as a very one-sided relationship. They may claim that it implies that Muslims have nothing to learn from others and that it is only others that have something to learn and take from Muslims. Would you agree with this contention? Or, do you think Muslims could also learn from others?

A: I think this way of thinking—that Muslims don’t need to learn from others—is incorrect. Mutual learning is a natural formula which goes on in every field, including in the field of dawah. Muslims must learn from others. This, I believe, is a law of nature. A group or nation that does not learn from others will cease to develop or make progress.

Q: If you think that Muslims, too, could learn from others, do you think they could learn only about worldly things from others or also with regard to spiritual/religious issues?

A: Muslims should have the spirit of learning on every issue. This is a law of nature, from which no escape is possible.

Q: Do you think that just as Islam has spiritual treasures that Muslims should communicate to others (through Dawah) and which others can benefit from, other religions also have spiritual treasures that their followers could share with Muslims and which Muslims could also benefit from?

A: Yes, this is right. Mutual learning is a law of nature, and Muslims are no exception in this regard.

Q: Have you gained any spiritual treasures from other religions—through your study of them and/or your interaction with their followers? If so, could you please provide some details?

A: In Christianity, there is the formula of ‘Love your enemy’. I have learnt a lot from this principle and have also extensively elaborated upon it in various writings and lectures of mine. I consider it an Islamic formula. Similarly, Jesus Christ once said: ‘Give to Caesar what is due to Caesar and give to God what is due to God.’ This saying is very correct, and I think Muslims should adopt it in their present situation.

By birth, I am a Muslim. Through my study of the Quran, I have found that Islam’s concept of life is that a person should intellectually develop himself to such an extent that he is able to turn a minus into a plus. I had learnt this principle through my study of Islam. Later, I came to know of an incident of the famous Indian monk Swami Vivekananda. Once one of his Christian friends invited the Swami to his house and led him to a room. There, on a table, lay a pile of books, one on top of the other. These were sacred books of major world religions. They were placed in such an order that the Gita was at the bottom and the Bible was right on top. Would the Swami get provoked, the host wondered. The host pointed towards the books and asked: “Swami Ji, what is your comment on this arrangement?” Swami Ji smiled gently and said: “The foundation is really good.”

This incident in the life of Swami Vivekananda provided me a very good illustration of a principle I had learnt from the Islamic scripture.

Divorce and separation rates are higher among Christians and Buddhists, and lowest among Jains, according to freshly released Census 2011 data. Although separation rates are higher for Hindus than Muslims, divorce is more prevalent among the latter.

The share of those who have lost a spouse to death is the highest among Buddhists, followed by Christians. Widowhood rates are much higher among Hindus and Sikhs than Muslims.

A complex web of religious and social factors is responsible for these trends, which are similar to those discovered in the previous Census. Although divorce is legally allowed for Hindus, it may still carry social stigma. This could be the reason why the separation rate for Hindus was 5.5 per thousand married people, while the divorce rate was pegged at just 1.8 per thousand. Separation includes wives abandoned by husbands.

Among Muslims, it seems the triple Talaq provision pushed up the share of female divorcees to five per thousand, against 2-3 per thousand for Hindus, Sikhs and Jains. However, Christians and Buddhists have similar rates of women divorcees. The rate of widowhood is directly linked to the well known demographic fact that women live longer than men. This results in two to three times the number of widows compared to widowers across all communities.

Another factor at work is life expectancy. Muslims have the lowest average life expectancy of all communities and this results in the least number of widowed people, at about 73 per thousand married persons. Among Hindus and Sikhs, the share is about 88 per thousand, while it is higher for Christians (97) and Buddhists (100).

An interesting dimension of the marital status details released by the Census relates to never-married persons across different communities. Among those who have attained the marriageable age, that is, 21 years for men and 18 years for women, Hindus have the lowest share, at 16% unmarried men and just 10% unmarried women. This indicates a very high drive towards early marriage, with many tying the knot before attaining the legal marriage age.

Christians have the highest rate of unmarried persons of marriageable age, at 21% among men and 18% among women. But across all communities, a smaller share of women is still unmarried after the legal age than men, indicating the relentless pressure on women to get married.

Muslim Woman Fined and Forced To Remove Burkini By French Police Officials Armed With Pepper Sprays

August 24, 2016

French police officials armed with pepper sprays and batons marched onto a beach today and asked a woman to strip off. A middle-aged woman was quietly sunbathing on Promenade des Anglais Beach in Nice, when she was asked by four cops to take her Muslim-style garment off.

The French ban on burkini is slowly in turning into crude characterization.

Living in Johannesburg, I usually get to go to the beach once a year. When I swim in a public place I wear full-length leggings, a long-sleeved top, and either a hat or a scarf tied in a turban while I swim, to cover my hair (which is something I do all the time). I dress like this in accordance with the rules of Hijab, a code of modesty and behaviour outlined for me by my religion. It is my choice to dress this way.

British Muslim Women Talk about How It Feels to Be Constantly Spoken For

August 24, 2016

As any young Muslim woman can attest to, growing up post-7/7 hasn't been easy. I would know: we're the subject of countless headlines, from being told to learn English or face deportation, having to contend with endless calls to ban the Hijab, to supposedly having "split loyalties". Full report at: vice.com/en_uk/read/how-british-muslim-women-feel-about-constantly-being-spoken-for

Muslims and Jews Must Combine To Champion Tolerance and Stop the Isil-Inspired Hatred across the Middle East

23 AUGUST 2016

Christianity has been part of the essential fabric of the Middle East for two thousand years. Far from being a Western import as some, incredibly, now seem to suggest, it was born here and exported as a gift to the rest of the world. Christian communities have been intrinsic to the development of Arab culture and civilisation.

This central role in our region and civilisation is why it is abhorrent to us, as a Muslim and a Jew, to see Christianity and Christians under such savage assault across our region.

We are appalled not only by the sickening attacks on our fellow human beings. We also know that to lose Christianity from its birthplace would be to destroy the richness of the tapestry of the Middle East and a hammer blow to our shared heritage. The reality is that we are all one community, united by shared beliefs and history. But this is increasingly denied, with Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant, or Daesh as it is known in our region, taking the lead both in justifying and carrying out these attacks. The most recent issue of its publication Dabiq, headlined “Break the Cross”, explicitly rejects the fundamental belief that we are all People of the Book.

Daesh peddle an apocalyptic vision that harks back to a mythic Golden Age which is solely the creation of the warped minds of today’s jihadists. They are in the same mould as those whose misguided zeal turned Christian Europe in the Middle Ages into a byword for fanaticism and oppression. Daesh want to take us to a new Dark Age, an age made even darker by the dangers that the gifts of science and technology pose in their hands.

As we have seen all too often, fundamentalists display a particular loathing for co-religionists whose views do not conform to their own

It is not just Christians, of course, who they have made targets for their hate. The search for religious purity poses a universal threat. As we have seen all too often, fundamentalists display a particular loathing for co-religionists whose views do not conform to their own. Daesh has shown itself as prepared to slaughter indiscriminately other Muslims as it has Jews, Christians and others, whatever their nationality: Jordanian or Egyptian, American, British or European.

Helping to end this dangerous slide towards hatred, self-destruction and fratricidal conflict is the main challenge for all of us involved in interfaith dialogue. This requires us to step up our efforts to increase understanding that what unites the three great faiths of our region is far greater than any differences. We must stress, too, that respect for the past and learning from it does not require us to live there.

Above all, we must emphasise the importance of interpretation, which is central and common to all the Abrahamic faiths

But this must be coupled with an honest recognition that all the Abrahamic scriptures – the Christian Bible, the Jewish Tanach and the Koran – contain texts which are divisive and include attacks on other groups. Throughout history, they have been used to justify the most appalling actions in the name of God.

These texts, which carry weight and authority, cannot be deleted or ignored.

So how do we counter their divisive message which, in the wrong hands, can be read as a license for bigotry and violence?

These words must be seen in context. It is vital, for example, to juxtapose texts from the same Scripture that offer a contrasting approach. Here, too, a better understanding of the sacred writings of other faiths may help us see the paradoxes and conflicts that we can fail to acknowledge in our own.

Above all, we must emphasise the importance of interpretation, which is central and common to all the Abrahamic faiths. This provides us with the ability to deal with texts that run contrary to what we regard as the fundamental values of our tradition.

Islam teaches haq el hurriya and haq el karama, the right to freedom and the right to human dignity. In Judaism, Pikuach Nefesh is the command that the preservation of human life takes precedence over all other commandments.

It is time to call a halt to the hate and atrocities that are causing convulsions throughout our immediate region and beyond. Peace and humanity itself hang upon the success of this interfaith exercise. It is that important.

Taliban Behead University Student, Used His Corpse as Body-Borne Improvised Explosive Device in Faryab

Wed Aug 24 2016

The Taliban insurgents have beheaded a young university student in northern Faryab province of Afghanistan and used his corpse a Body-borne Improvised Explosive Device (BBIED).

According to the local officials in Faryab, the corpse of the university student was left on a roadside after placing a remote controlled Improvised Explosive Device (IED) in his body.

Provincial governor’s spokesman Javid Bidar said the university student was taken out of the vehicle on a highway in Faizabad district and was decapitated by the Taliban insurgents.

He said the Afghan forces discovered and defused the IED planted in his stomach before the Taliban insurgents manage to detonate it and target the Afghan forces.

Bidar further added that the move by the Taliban militants is apparently aimed at discouraging the university students from pursuing their higher education.

According to Bidar, an operation is underway to find and arrest the perpetators of the horrific incident.

The Taliban militants group has not commented regarding the report so far.

Faryab is among the volatile provinces in northern Afghanistan where the Taliban insurgents and militants belonging to the other insurgent groups including the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan are actively operating in a number of its districts.

Jaipur, Aug 24: India is known as a land of diversity and festivals play a huge importance in the country. At a time when news of communal tensions is one rise in the country, there are also places where humanity and happiness have primary importance before religion. Not many people know but Narhar Dargah, also known as Sharif Hazrat Hajib Shakarbar Dargah, situated 200 kms from Jaipur has been celebrating Janmashtami for the past 300-400 years. A three-day celebration during Janmashtami is organised in this Dargah and people from different parts of the country participate in it. During the three days, around 400 shops near dargah are decorated and events similar to temples like Qawwali and dance are held in the Dargah.

“Its very hard to say the exact time and reason from when this festival is celebrated in the dargah but this marks an important event for national and communal unity. Hindus, Muslims and Sikhs stay together and organise the event.” says dargah secretary Usman Ali Pathan. Newly wed couple come here and pray for a happy married life and people from states like Bihar, Maharashtra, Delhi, Haryana and West Bengal visit this dargah during the festival. (ALSO READ: This Hindu man wakes up Muslims for Sehri during Ramadan)

“Thousands of Hindus come here and offer coconuts and flowers to the shrine and stay together. The idea behind organising this festival is to increase the love and unity among different religions in the country,” added Pathan. Devotees visiting the Dargah are surprised by such an event and the way it is smoothly organised and run from almost 400 years. Stories like this marks the unity and Hindu-Muslim brotherhood in the country. (ALSO READ- Krishna Janmashtami 2016: Importance & Significance of Golkulashtami festival!)

Janmashtami marks the birth of lord Krishna, considered as the eighth avatar of Lord Vishnu. This year Janmashtami will be celebrated on August 25 throughout the country. The actual celebration takes place during midnight as Lord Krishna is believed to be born on a dark and stormy night. The celebrations in the Dargah will also start during midnight and will continue for three days. Puja, aarti, blowing of the conch and will take place throughout the country to celebrate Janamshtami. (ALSO READ: Mumbai Muslims show path of communal harmony, perform last rites of Hindu woman)

Krishna Janmashtami celebrations at Mathura and Vrindavan, the places where Lord Krishna spent his life are very special. The temples are beautifully decorated for the day. Prayers are offered the entire night and Bhajans are sung in the temple. In Mumbai, Janamashtami is celebrated as Dahi Handi and human pyramid formation competition is organised in various parts of the city. The participant groups visit these places and take part in the competition where winner gets a cash prize. Last year, the Bombay High Court had restricted participation of youth below 12-year-old. The Supreme Court has also banned participation of youth below 18 from participating in the event. The organisers are in a bit of confusion as of now with just a day left for the festival.

However, celebration of Janmashtami in a Muslim village of Rajasthan with people belonging to Hindu, Muslim and Sikh religion coming together and celebrating this festival, shows the cultural equality the country shared despite the differences in the name of religion. Celebrations like these promote Hindu Muslim brotherhood and harmony.

SWAT: A 27-year-old man was stoned to death and a married woman injured by her relatives in the name of 'honour' after the two were found in an 'objectionable position' in her family's home in the Barikot area on Wednesday, police said.

Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Sadiq Akbar said the woman's father confessed to killing the man and injuring his daughter after finding them in an 'objectionable position', saying he had done so in the name of 'honour'.

Police said the woman's husband worked abroad. According to eyewitnesses, the woman's in-laws' residence was near her uncle's house, where she was allegedly caught with the man. Her relatives called her parents to the house, the eyewitnesses claimed.

When police reached the spot, they found the couple in chains. The man was dead, while the woman, who was injured, had a noose around her neck. Police said the family were planning to hang her.

Police arrested the woman's father and another relative and collected evidence of the attack from the scene of crime. The woman was shifted to a hospital for treatment.

Muslims and Jews Must Combine To Champion Tolerance and Stop the Isil-Inspired Hatred across the Middle East

23 AUGUST 2016

Christianity has been part of the essential fabric of the Middle East for two thousand years. Far from being a Western import as some, incredibly, now seem to suggest, it was born here and exported as a gift to the rest of the world. Christian communities have been intrinsic to the development of Arab culture and civilisation.

TEHRAN (FNA)- The Iraqi army and popular forces purged the ISIL terrorists from al-Qayara oil refinery in Southern Mosul after heavy clashes and killing at least 40 militants.

Brigadier General Najm al-Jabouri, the commander of Nineveh operations, made the announcement in an interview with Iraq's al-Ain news agency on Wednesday morning.

Full report at: en.farsnews.com/newstext.aspx?nn=13950603000499

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Jeish Al-Fatah Pinned down under Heavy Fire in Southern Aleppo

August 24, 2016

TEHRAN (FNA)- Syrian Army's artillery and missile units opened very heavy fire at Jeish al-Fatah's gatherings and forced them to hide in their positions without considerable movements to open their closed supply line from Aleppo to Khan Touman, military sources said.

"The Syrian government forces engaged in heavy fighting with Jeish al-Fatah terrorists near military academy buildings, in the meantime, heavy fire of army's artillery and missile units did not leave any chance for the terrorists to advance towards Um al-Qara'a hilltop," the sources said.

Full report at: en.farsnews.com/newstext.aspx?nn=13950603000702

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Syrian Fighter Jets Smash ISIL Terrorists in Deir Ezzur

August 24, 2016

TEHRAN (FNA)- Syrian warplanes carried out several combat flights over ISIL's sites in two regions, inflicting major losses and casualties on the terrorists.

ISIL suffered a heavy death toll and its military hardware sustained major damage in Syrian airstrikes near the villages of al-Huweiqa and Huweija al-Sakar.

Full report at: en.farsnews.com/newstext.aspx?nn=13950603000864

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Turkish Soldiers Enter Syria

August 24, 2016

TEHRAN (FNA)- Turkish special forces entered Syrian territory as Ankara began cross-border “Euphrates Shield” military operation against the ISIL group early on Wednesday.

Turkish officials, speaking on the condition of anonymity, said the units of special forces entered Syria through the Turkish border.

Full report at: en.farsnews.com/newstext.aspx?nn=13950603000680

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Long Convoy of ISIL's Vehicles Hit Hard in Syrian Air Attacks

August 24, 2016

TEHRAN (FNA)- Several vehicles of ISIL were targeted by the Syrian fighter jets on a road in Eastern Homs, provincial sources said, adding that most of the vehicles were destroyed in the airstrikes.

"Syrian warplanes bombed ISIL's column of vehicles on a road connecting the ancient city of Palmyra (Tadmur) to the town of al-Sukhnah, leaving a number of the vehicles destroyed and tens of guards accompanying the convoy dead or wounded," the sources said.

Full report at: en.farsnews.com/newstext.aspx?nn=13950603000825

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Syrian Army Continues to Advance against Terrorists in Southwestern Damascus

August 24, 2016

TEHRAN (FNA)- Syrian army soldiers continued to beat back terrorists of Ajnad al-Sham and Liwa Shohada al-Islam from more strongholds in the town of Darayya, capturing new areas in the Central part of the town.

The terrorist groups withdrew from more building blocks in Darayya in Western Ghouta under the heavy attacks of the government forces.

Full report at: en.farsnews.com/newstext.aspx?nn=13950603000758

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South Asia

Taliban Behead University Student, Used His Corpse as Body-Borne Improvised Explosive Device in Faryab

Wed Aug 24 2016

The Taliban insurgents have beheaded a young university student in northern Faryab province of Afghanistan and used his corpse a Body-borne Improvised Explosive Device (BBIED).

According to the local officials in Faryab, the corpse of the university student was left on a roadside after placing a remote controlled Improvised Explosive Device (IED) in his body.

The former Afghan President Hamid Karzai has said the Loya Jirga could help resolve the current political issues in the country as deadlock persists between President Ghani and Chief Executive Officer Abdullha Abdullah regarding the agreement on Government National Unity.

In interview with Radio Free Europe/Rado Liberty, Karzai said the tradiional Loya Jigar should be organized to be find out a solution regarding the current political deadlock in the country.

Jaipur, Aug 24: India is known as a land of diversity and festivals play a huge importance in the country. At a time when news of communal tensions is one rise in the country, there are also places where humanity and happiness have primary importance before religion. Not many people know but Narhar Dargah, also known as Sharif Hazrat Hajib Shakarbar Dargah, situated 200 kms from Jaipur has been celebrating Janmashtami for the past 300-400 years.

THIS Sunday morning, as K F Vincent’s family and neighbours were preparing to head to church, his first grandchild was about to be born in a small village with no electricity or running water — 2,670 km away. The fact that the ageing Palakkad patriarch’s two sons lived amid the diaspora wasn’t unusual. The details, though, were — and that ensured there were no celebrations in the Vincent family home.

The issue of the radicalisation of Indian Muslims is one that has been gaining momentum for a while now. While some continue to swim in the 'this only happens in other country' sea of denial, others are beginning to grasp the gravity of the situation and suggesting ways to counter it. In an exclusive four-part series on radicalisation in India, Tufail Ahmad examines a variety of conditions and scenarios that have made it possible to radicalise youths in Maharashtra, Hyderabad, Kerala and indeed, India as a whole.

KANPUR: You would think his name of `Gubbare wale chacha' is a misnomer, considering this practising Muslim is known for the range of dresses and accessories he sells for Hindu gods especially for Janmashtami. But, he reveals with a smile, he started out as a balloonseller and the name stayed.

OF THE over 2,300 applications received by Maharashtra’s animal husbandry department for the non-salaried post of animal welfare officers, 25 are Muslim. If this seems ironic, there is a reason.

Most of the applications — as The Indian Express reported Tuesday — are ostensibly to track the beef ban but when it comes to Muslim candidates, their forms show that “animal welfare” goes beyond gau raksha.

Cow is mother of not only Hindus but also of Muslims: Swami Swaroopanand

August 24, 2016

Head of Dwarkashardapeeth Shankaracharya Swami Swaroopanand Saraswati on Tuesday said cow is the mother of not only Hindus but also of Muslims as its milk is as much beneficial for believers of one faith as for those of another.

In a statement here, Swami Swaroopanand said a Hindu gets as much protein out of cow’s milk as a Muslim. So it is absolutely correct to say that the cow is the mother of not only Hindus but also of Muslims.

SWAT: A 27-year-old man was stoned to death and a married woman injured by her relatives in the name of 'honour' after the two were found in an 'objectionable position' in her family's home in the Barikot area on Wednesday, police said.

Karachi: Karachi police on Tuesday said two clerics associated with the banned Ahle Sunnat Wal Jamaat (ASWJ) were gunned down at a seminary in the city’s Gulshan-i-Iqbal area. They described it as a case of target killing.

Karachi / Islamabad: A day after Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) chief Altaf Hussain described Pakistan as “a cancer for the entire world” and raised anti-Pakistan slogans, a treason case was registered against him in Karachi.

Sindh police chief A D Khawaja on Tuesday confirmed that a case of treason had been registered against the MQM supremo for his inflammatory speech to party workers outside the Karachi Press Club.

PESHAWAR/KOHAT: The activists of Jamaat-i-Islami’s youth wing, Peshawar chapter, and Peoples’ Students Federation on Tuesday held separate protest demonstrations against the MQM chief Altaf Hussain for speaking against the state and its institutions, and demanded ban on the party.

The protesters holding banners and placards inscribed with different slogans demanded of the government to bring the MQM chief to Pakistan through Interpol and award him capital punishment for such provocative speeches against the country and armed forces.

Islamabad: Expressing concern over delay in the investigation of Samjhauta Express train bomb blasts that killed 68 people on the intervening night of February 18 -19, 2007, Pakistan has asked the Indian Government to share information about the investigation proceedings.

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs in a statement on Tuesday said that forty innocent Pakistani nationals lost their lives, adding Indian attempts to exonerate some of the individuals involved in the attacks.

New Policies on Syria Adopted by Turkey's Ruling System after US-Sponsored Coup

August 24, 2016

TEHRAN (FNA)- Senior Advisor to the Iranian Parliament Speaker Hossein Amir Abdollahian underlined the US involvement in the recent failed coup in Turkey, and said Ankara felt the necessity for changing its policies on Syria after the recent developments.

Full report at: en.farsnews.com/newstext.aspx?nn=13950603000453

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Turkish military launches operation in Syria’s Jarablus to sweep ISIL

August 24, 2016

The Turkish military and U.S.-led coalition forces launched an operation in the Jarablus region of Syria to sweep the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) jihadist group from its borders early on Aug. 24.

Operation “Fırat Kalkanı” (Euphrates Shield) began at around 4 a.m., with Turkish artillery units launching a total of 294 fires on 81 targets followed by four separate air operations by Turkish and coalition warplanes bombing ISIL targets.

The Turkish military backed operations to take a northern Syrian town along the Turkish border controlled by the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) by shelling their targets on Aug. 23, after mortar shells and rockets hit two Turkish provinces.

Turkey’s shelling came as activists said hundreds of Ankara-backed rebels were preparing an offensive against ISIL to seize control of Jarablus, a town located just across from the southeastern Turkish province of Gaziantep’s Karkamış town.

Turkey and the United States will hold high-level talks in Ankara on Aug. 24, as U.S. Vice President Joe Biden will arrive in the Turkish capital as the highest ranking American official to pay a visit to the NATO ally since the July 15 coup attempt.

Biden is set to meet President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and Prime Minister Binali Yıldırım after visiting the Turkish parliament, where he will view the bombed parts of the parliamentary building along with Parliament Speaker İsmail Kahraman.

Turkish Special Forces: From stopping a coup to the frontline of the ISIL fight

August 24, 2016

The Turkish Special Forces are playing a key role in the operation launched at 04.00 a.m. on Aug. 24 to back the Free Syrian Army (FSA) to free the Syrian town of Jarablus from the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL).

According to military sources speaking on condition of anonymity, Turkish special forces “like those of others such as the Americans, Russians, British, etc.,” are not carrying out the actual fight but are supporting the FSA movements.

The Turkish military launched the Jerablus operation “against terror organizations such as DAESH and the PYD,” President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has said, referring to the Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) and the Syrian Kurdish Democratic Union Party (PYD), warning that threats from the latter will be responded to in kind.

A total of 586 colonels have been retired from the army according to decisions taken at a meeting of Turkey’s Supreme Military Council (YAŞ) on Aug. 23, which convened for the second time in less than a month after the failed coup attempt of July 15.

A total of 470 of the retired colonels were from the Land Forces, 71 were from the Naval Forces while the other 45 were from the Air Force, the Defense Ministry announced, marking a first as previous decisions of the council had been announced by the Presidency.

The creation of the group — which has a year to report back — comes after thousands of people were trapped at sea last year amid a crackdown on the smuggling of Rohingya and others from south Asia through Thailand and Malaysia. The commission marks the first time international advisers have been invited publicly by Myanmar to give their views on a subject so combustible at home, where Buddhist ultranationalists have for years whipped up anti-Muslim feeling.

MODERATES VS EXTREMISTS: If radical Islam gains a foothold in Asia, there will be dire consequences. OUR times are marked by a period where one part of the developed world, Europe and the United States, live terrified by the power of the Islamic State. However, the real threat of IS is not only felt on the streets of Paris, or in the fear of what could happen in New York or Washington, but in the set of strategic moves focused on the conquest of a dominant position in Asia, which in numerical terms could completely change the balance of power on an international level. Full report at: nst.com.my/news/2016/08/168023/malaysia-normandy-islamic-state

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Security stepped up in Bali over fears of attack

AUG 24, 2016

DENPASAR (Indonesia) • The Indonesian authorities have tightened security in Bali after reports at the weekend of a suspected militant plot to attack the holiday island.

"In connection with information about a terror arrest and a planned action in Bali, we are increasing security at all points of entry into Bali," said provincial police chief Sugeng Priyanto.

KANO — The Islamist militant movement Boko Haram attacked a village near Chibok in northeastern Nigeria at the weekend, killing 10 people and abducting 13 women, the west African nation’s military said.

Earthquake in central Italy leaves at least 13 deadMumbai Catholic creates Mother Teresa canonisation logoMother Teresa: Bring Jesus to the poor and the poor to Jesus, Revelations and visions (II)Fragment of Christ's Cross stolen from California churchKenya: Church calls on government to end arsons in schoolsBANGUI: His was one of the most appreciated interventions in this first brief period of the 37th Rimini Meeting.

Sadiq Khan Bombarded With anti-Semitic Messages for Not Backing Corbyn to Lead Labour

Wednesday 24 August 2016

London's Muslim mayor threw his support behind Owen Smith, who has been a Parliament member since 2010 and is Jeremy Corbyn's only challenger for the party leadership.

Full report at: haaretz.com/world-news/europe/1.738364

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How the past proves that Islam can be part of European identity?

Wednesday 24 August 2016

Like Islam, Christianity is also of Middle Eastern origin. Even when Emperor Constantine the First signed “treaty of Milan” that recognised social status for Christians in Roman Empire, this edict labelled Christianity as a sect of Jewish faith, practised by Hebrew Israelites.

Like Christianity and Buddhism, Islam is a universal religion and is not a nation or culture, as nationalists claim. Full report at: thenewfederalist.eu/how-the-past-proves-that-islam-can-be-part-of-european-identity

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On Islamic Terror, Europe Prefers to Remain Blind

23 AUGUST 2016

As I was traveling to Europe this summer, it struck me what especially distinguishes Israeli from European ‎security measures: Israeli security is about dealing with the harsh reality. European security relies largely on wishful thinking ‎and denial.‎

Take airports for example. Airport security has been an issue since Arab ‎terrorists began hijacking airplanes in the 1970s. Full report at: algemeiner.com/2016/08/24/on-islamic-terror-europe-prefers-to-remain-blind/

Islam had an estimated 3 million adherents in Latin America and the Caribbean as of the end of last year, marking an increase of nearly 25 percent from the 2.3 million who were residing there in 2010, a Breitbart News analysis of U.S. Department of State (DoS) data shows.

Among the Muslims in the region are people who emigrated from Muslim majority countries – including Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, Iran, Egypt, and Pakistan – and locals who converted. Most of them are recent migrants and descendants of those who made the journey years and even generations ago, namely Palestinians, among others.

- See more at: http://newageislam.com/islamic-world-news/new-age-islam-news-bureau/muslims-and-jews-must-combine-to-champion-tolerance-and-stop-the-isil-inspired-hatred-across-the-middle-east/d/108351#sthash.shotYZ4n.dpuf